Man to plea in Craigslist scam

A former East Stroudsburg University student charged with posting fake online ads to lure victims so he could steal expensive jewelry and a laptop will plead guilty to robbery and theft charges, according to court testimony Tuesday.

Corey A. Jackson, 22, gave up his right to a preliminary hearing before District Judge Nancy Matos Gonzalez of Bethlehem. Jackson is being held in prison in Philadelphia on similar theft and robbery charges.

Police said Jackson has no criminal record and theorized the online scams might have been a way for him to get extra cash.

Jackson is charged in both Bethlehem and Bethlehem Township with using Craigslist to find victims. In one case, Jackson posed as a buyer interested in jewelry and stole a ring from the seller, police said. Another time, Jackson offered the sale of a laptop computer on Craigslist, but police said he took cash from a buyer and then wrestled the computer back.

Jackson will plead guilty to a robbery in Bethlehem and a theft charge in Bethlehem Township, according to Jackson's attorney, Joseph Yannuzzi of Bethlehem.

As part of the plea deal, Jackson agreed to pay back the victims, Northampton Assistant District Attorney Patricia Mulqueen said in court.

But Dale Gardner, the victim in the Bethlehem Township case, said he doesn't expect he'll be paid back for the $2,300 engagement ring that police said Jackson stole from him in July 2009.

''I wanted to make sure he was charged with a felony,'' Gardner said after the hearing. ''I didn't get the ring back and I don't expect I'll be paid restitution. But that's OK.''

Gardner, who lived in Bangor, has since moved to Tennessee. He said the experience of being robbed has affected him and his wife.

''She used to not be real fond of guns,'' Gardner said. ''Now after this, we have two.''

On July 24, Bethlehem Township police were flagged down by Gardner in a parking lot in the 3900 block of Nazareth Pike. Gardner told police he had used Craigslist to offer to sell an engagement ring and Jackson answered the ad. They arranged to meet in a parking lot.

They chatted about 30 minutes and Jackson asked to see the ring. Gardner said when he pulled it out, Jackson shoved him, grabbed the ring and fled.

Prosecutors said Jackson pulled a similar heist April 3, 2009, in Bethlehem. Police said Jackson posted a Craigslist ad offering to sell a laptop for $1,400. Jackson agreed to meet Jeff Tran at midnight in the 400 block of Montclair Avenue to make the sale.

After the exchange, Jackson told Tran to follow him to his car for warranty information. Police said Jackson sprayed Tran with pepper spray and grabbed the computer.

Jackson also faces charges in Philadelphia for a June 18, 2009, robbery in which police said he responded to an online ad, doused a man with pepper spray and stole a $14,500 diamond ring from him.

Jackson's alleged crime spree ended last September when Philadelphia police lured him with a Craigslist ad selling an engagement ring. Jackson was arrested when he allegedly tried to steal the ring from an undercover detective.